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The space radiation dose rates at several points in Miyagi prefecture and their time dependencies were measured. Radiation exposure was mainly caused by 131 I at the earlier stage of Fukushima first nuclear power accidents and then by 134 Cs and 137 Cs . We inspected radioactive contamination for food produced in Miyagi prefecture and Fukushima city. As the result, almost all food were safe.

The great East Japan earthquake consisted of three catastrophes. The first one was the earthquake, the second one was the tsunami and the third one was nuclear power plant accidents. The magnitude 9 was recorded. After the earth quake, huge tsunami waves of above 16m height hit the east coast of Northeastern Japan. Many people died and many things were lost. The tsunami caused the accident of Fukushima first nuclear power plant which resulted in a serious radioactive pollution.

We studied the structure of radioactive cesium distribution in soil and found the exponential dependence. This behavior could be explained theoretically. We developed a useful method to decontaminate the soil contaminated with radioactive cesium atoms. We applied our method to the contaminated school yards of elementary schools of Marumori town and decontaminated total area of about 7000 m2.

Kaatsu training (hereafter Kaatsu) was applied to patients with metabolic syndrome. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of Kaatsu on patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and obesity with metabolic syndrome. METHOD: A 3-exercise set of Kaatsu was performed for 6-12 minutes, once or twice a week with a Borg scale at level 13. The usefulness of Kaatsu was evaluated 3 to 4 months later. In this study, patients were instructed not to change their lifestyles (e.g. food, medicine and exercise). RESULTS: The effectiveness of Kaatsu was shown in 31 out of 51 patients (61%) to which Kaatsu was applied. In 12 out of 18 patients (67%) with hypertension, systolic blood pressure dropped from an average of 166 mmHg to 146 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure also dropped from an average of 96 mmHg to 86 mmHg. In 6 out of 10 patients (60%) with diabetes mellitus, HbA1c dropped from an average of 6.8% to 6.12%. In 8 out of 14 patients (57%) with dyslipidemia, LDL-c decreased from an average of 158 mg/dl to 136 mg/dl. In 5 out of 9 patients (56%) with obesity, there was a reduction in weight from an average of 67 kg to 59 kg. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Kaatsu training improves physical conditions including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia and obesity with metabolic syndrome.

In this study, we developed a novel transcription-molding process and experimentally discussed its validity for fabricating polymer products having the precise microstructure on the surface. The process was named “Melt-Transcription Process” which consists of two characteristic stages; coating and compression. In the coating stage, a molten polymer is coated on the surface of a metal mold having the precise microstructure by a coating device specially designed in this study. The thickness of the coated polymer melt is typically 100 μm or more. Immediately after coating, the coated polymer is compressed against the mold surface so as to make the polymer flow into the microstructure cavities engraved on the mold, and to fabricate the 3-dimensional structure of polymer products. The pressure required for compression is quite lower than that in conventional nano-imprinting process, because the molten polymer of high temperature is distributed in advance over the mold surface in the coating stage. The “Melt-Transcription Process” was applied to fabricate polymer products with the size of 150 mm in length, 150 mm in width and 1 mm in thickness, having the microstructure of tens micrometers on their surface. Cyclo-olefin polymer (COP) and Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) were used as the polymer materials, and the dimensions and transcription ratios (the ratio of the height of the transcribed microstructure to the depth of the microstructure on the mold) of the molded microstructure were experimentally evaluated. As a result, by the Melt-Transcription Process, the microstructure was sufficiently transcribed on a very thin substrate of large surface area with high transcription ratios, typically 95% or more, under relatively low compression pressure of less than 10 MPa. The process was also applied for fabricating products with a range of thicknesses and we could experimentally verify that products composed of a membrane of 80 μm thickness and a surrounding frame with 1.95 mm thickness were successfully molded. Furthermore, we fabricated a micro-lens array product by using film grade PMMA with relatively higher viscosity in a product having 125 μm in thickness and a size of 102 mm × 102 mm.

The thermodynamic properties and the results of the Ising-axis conversion of the (Tb0.5Y0.5)Cu2 single crystal are presented. The expected weakening of the magnetic exchange caused by the Y substitution is documented by the lowering of the Neel temperature from T N =54 K for pure TbCu2 down to T N =30 K for (Tb0.5Y0.5)Cu2. Simultaneously, the specific heat data do not show a sharp anomaly at the ordering temperature, the broad transition points to a clustering of Tb and Y ions in the crystal structure. On the other hand, the critical field of the Ising-axis conversion as well as its temperature dependence in (Tb0.5Y0.5)Cu2 is about the same as in pure TbCu2 which confirms the quadrupolar interaction as the driving force of the conversion process.

Increasing evidence has indicated that proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha and IL-1beta, produced by activated microglia and astrocytes, play a key role in progressive degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD). Since alpha-synuclein is a major component of Lewy bodies in PD brains, we studied the constitutive and cytokine/neurotrophic factor-regulated expression of alpha-synuclein in cultured human neurons by Northern blot and Western blot analyses. The constitutive expression of alpha-synuclein mRNA was identified in a variety of human neural and non-neural cell lines. The levels of alpha-synuclein expression were elevated markedly in NTera2 teratocarcinoma cells following retinoic acid-induced neuronal differentiation, accompanied with an increased expression of synphilin-1, while they were unaltered in NTera2-derived differentiated neurons by exposure to TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, BDNF or GDNF. These results indicate that alpha-synuclein expression in human neurons is up-regulated during differentiation, but is unaffected by a panel of cytokines and neurotrophic factors which are supposed to be involved in the nigral neuronal death and survival.

The effect of estrogen administration to cultured Armenian hamster was studied. Isolated Armenian hamster hepatocytes were cultured in RPMI medium supplemented with beta-estradiol (E2). Beta-estradiol treatment for 24-48 hr induced cytoplasmic inclusion bodies which by immunocytochemistry were positive for cytokeratin (CK) 8, CK 18, and ubiquitin but negative for CK 7 and CK 19. These inclusion bodies appeared as filamentous tangles or amorphous aggregates when observed by electron microscopy. F-actin, tubulin, and desmosomes were not influenced by the presence of the inclusion bodies. Addition of ethanol to culture medium increased the incidence of the inclusion formation. In combination with 0.5% ethanol 1 microM of E2 induced five to six times more inclusion bodies, while the number of inclusion bodies decreased when epidermal growth factor (EGF) was added to the medium in combination with E2. This reduction effect was nullified by treatment with anti-EGF receptor antibody. These findings suggest that E2 treatment to Armenian hamster hepatocytes in vitro induces Mallory body-like inclusions whose incidence can be influenced by addition of ethanol or EGF to the culture medium.

DVD-RAM requires a large storage capacity to write and read huge amounts of data such as MPEG2 and AV as well as computer data for full-scale multi-media applications. Its format is focused on unifying AV and computer files, and achieving read compatibility with DVD-ROM drive. DVD-RAM has been realized by using phase change media, 0.6 mm substrate, 650 nm laser and NA 0.6 lens. The track has a single-spiral wobbled land and groove format. Each sector in land and groove tracks can be accessed in a seamless manner by combining physical headers and the wobble signal. 8-16 modulated signal is overwritten on land and groove tracks with mark edge recording method. The sector position shifting of 8 bytes and two guard fields located at the top and end of the data field are introduced to prevent the signal deterioration caused by repeating overwrites. DVD-RAM disc has wide tolerances of laser power and disc tilt, and overwrite durability of over 10/sup 5/ cycles. It is also concluded that DVD-RAM is high reliable and compatible for reading by DVD-ROM drives.

Three key technologies have overcome the cycle issue of phase-change optical disks. The interchangeability testing data for Multimedia PD by different media makers has verified the values specified in ECMA-240 which has become a worldwide standard. Wide wavelength response will extend the capacity of 120 mm phase-change optical disk to 15 GB/side.

The magneto-photoluminescence (PL) of novel magnetic semiconductor Zn1-xCrxO (ZCO) grown by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method was investigated. An ArF excimer laser and Cr2O3-mixed ZnO ceramic bulk targets were used for the PLD experiments. The PL peaks at room temperature are very sharp and there is no deep-level emission. The bound exciton peak at 4.2 K was very sharp and increased about three times with increasing applied magnetic field up to 1 T, and the peak wavelength was slightly blue-shifted. It is admirable that the magneto-PL peak was considerably modulated even at low magnetic field. From the peak shift energy of the magneto-PL, ΔE, effective Cr concentration xeff was roughly estimated to be 0.001 on the basis of the electron (n)-type bound magnetic polaron (BMP) model.

This paper describes our approach and experiences in carbon credit trading with barcodes. It provides a account system for enabling a small amount of carbon credits to be drawn from or paid into accounts and uses barcodes as certificates for the rights to claim carbon credits in carbon offsetting and trading. It enables any items to be sold with carbon credits to mitigate \CO emission from the use and disposal of the items by attaching such barcodes to them. It also enables the consumers that buy products with carbon credits to hold and claim these credits easily. The approach was constructed and evaluated with real customers, real items, and real carbon credits in a supermarket. It increased the sales volume of products with the items 3.5 times more than the ordinary sales volume.

Nasu-Hakola disease (NHD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, characterized by a combination of progressive presenile dementia and formation of multifocal bone cysts, caused by genetic mutations of DAP12 and TREM2, which constitute a receptor/adapter signaling complex expressed on osteoclasts, dendritic cells, macrophages, and microglia. No Japanese patients with TREM2 mutations have been reported previously. We reported three siblings affected with NHD in a Japanese family. Amongst them, two died of NHD during the fourth decade of life. The analysis of genomic DNA, cDNA cloning, and western blot of lymphocyte proteins was performed on samples of the living patient. The transcriptome was studied in the autopsied brain of one patient. We identified a homozygous conversion of a single nucleotide T to C at the second position of intron 3 in the splice-donor consensus site (c.482+2TC) of the TREM2 gene, resulting in exon 3 skipping and aberrant expression of truncated proteins. We identified 136 upregulated genes involved in inflammatory response and immune cell trafficking and 188 downregulated genes including a battery of GABA receptor subunits and synaptic proteins in the patient's brain. This is the first report of a Japanese NHD family caused by a splicing mutation of TREM2 that induces both neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.

We have carried out direction-dependent 59Co NMR experiments on a single crystal sample of the ferromagnetic superconductor UCoGe in order to study the magnetic properties in the normal state. The Knight-shift and nuclear spin-lattice relaxation rate measurements provide microscopic evidence that both static and dynamic susceptibilities are ferromagnetic with strong Ising anisotropy. We discuss that superconductivity induced by these magnetic fluctuations prefers spin-triplet pairing state.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ischaemic post-conditioning (IPostC) against ischaemia-reperfusion (IR) injury on bilateral testes after unilateral testicular ischaemia in the rat. Eight-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control group; IR group (60 min ischaemia-24 h reperfusion); IPostC1 × 10 group (60 min ischaemia followed by one cycle of 10 sec reperfusion-10 sec ischaemia; then 24 h reperfusion); IPostC3 × 10 group (three cycles of 10 sec reperfusion-10 sec ischaemia; then 24 h reperfusion); IPostC5 × 10 group (five cycles of 10 sec reperfusion-10 sec ischaemia; then 24 h reperfusion) and IPostC3 × 30 group (three cycles of 30 sec reperfusion-30 sec ischaemia; then 24 h reperfusion). In the IR and IPostC groups, the right testicular vessels were clamped using a special vascular clip. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels were measured in testicular tissue samples bilaterally. Additionally, bilateral testicular tissue samples were processed for histological evaluation including haematoxylin-eosin, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE) and TdT-mediated dUTP Nick End Labelling (TUNEL) staining. The levels of MDA and MPO as well as the positive cells per seminiferous tubule in TUNEL and 4-HNE stain in bilateral testes from the IR group were significantly higher compared with the control group. IPostC3 × 30 protocol significantly ameliorated the aforesaid parameters in both testes compared with the IR group. For the first time, we have demonstrated that IPostC protects both testes after unilateral testicular ischaemia-reperfusion. IPostC3 × 30 protocol offered the most effective protection.

There is no clear consensus about the best management of intra-articular distal ulnar fractures associated with distal radial fractures in older adults. We describe a treatment wherein the distal radial fractures were securely fixed with a palmar plate, leaving the associated ulnar fractures unfixed. The wrists of 14 patients with a mean age of 74 years were reviewed at an average of 18 months after surgery. The results were excellent in 11 cases and good in three, according to the modified Gartland and Werley score. All fracture sites displayed union, and there was no instability of the distal radioulnar joint. A widening of the distal radioulnar joint space was present in one wrist. Angular deformity of the distal ulnar metaphysis was seen in five wrists. This treatment could be an alternative to open reduction with internal fixation for intra-articular distal ulnar fractures in older adults.

Calorimetric biosensing of zinc(II) ions with use of thermolysin immobilized onto porous glass beads was tested. The sensing system was assembled with the beads-packed column mounted in a flow-calorimetric device for monitoring the enzyme activity. Temperature change at the outlet of the column was continuously detected. The metal-free enzyme(apoenzyme) was regenerated by exposing the column to EDTA solution(pH 4.0). Zinc(II) ions in submillimolar levels were determined through the activation of the apoenzymes.

In this paper, we propose a personal home sewer that makes it possible to coordinate a variety of home appliances. Since each person has a different personal home server, it allows him/her to personalize how to use the appliances according to his preferences. Also, a personal home server can discover and configure appliances at any places, such as railroad stations, cars, and streets as well as houses in a seamless way. We show the design and implementation of a personal home server, and present its current status.

A specific angular distribution of x rays from 111In embedded in a thin‐film waveguide (Au film/Langmuir–Blodgett film/Au substrate) is observed by a non‐energy‐dispersive two‐dimensional detector (imaging plate). The angular distribution for the thickness of the upper Au layer of 90 A can be explained by normal calculation of the optical electromagnetic wave solution of Maxwell’s equations for each interface and reciprocity. However, the angular pattern in the upper 400 A Au thickness layer cannot be accounted for by the normal approach without considering the intensity of the x‐ray sheet beam emerging from the end of the multilayer.

Flow-injection photometric microdetermination of cobalt(II) ions based on an apoenzyme reactivation method is proposed. Alkaline phosphatase immobilized on oxirane-acrylic beads (Eupergit-C) is packed into a small polymer column and then used as the recognition element for cobalt(II) ions. The biosensing system is assembled with the immobilized enzyme column and a flow-through cell housed in a double-beam spectrophotometer for monitoring the enzymatic activity. Cobalt(II) ions are photometrically determined in 1.0 to 200 mu M through activation of the immobilized metal-free alkaline phosphatase(apoenzyme). The activity is assessed by injecting a 0.1 mL of 0.5 mM p-nitrophenyl phosphate solution as the substrate and thereby the change in absorbance at 405 nm due to the formation of p-nitrophenol resulting from the enzymic hydrolysis is measured. The column is generated by pumping a 40 mM 2,6-pyridine dicarboxylate solution (pH 6.0) between successive samples. >

Dysfunction of the ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic pathway contributes to progressive accumulation of ubiquitinated protein inclusions in neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1), alternatively designated protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5), is a neural deubiquitinating enzyme which is identified as a principal constituent of Lewy bodies. To clarify the regulatory mechanism of UCH-L1 expression in human neural cells, we studied the constitutive, cytokine/neurotrophic factor-regulated, and heat stress-induced expression of UCH-L1 in cultured human neural cell lines by Western blot analysis. The constitutive expression of UCH-L1 was identified in SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells, IMR-32 neuroblastoma cells, U-373MG astrocytoma cells, and NTera2 teratocarcinoma-derived differentiated neurones (NTera2-N). The levels of UCH-L1 expression were unaltered in these cell lines following treatment with TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, BDNF, GDNF, dibutyryl cyclic AMP, or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, and remained unchanged by exposure to heat stress. In contrast, its levels were elevated substantially in NTera2 teratocarcinoma cells following retinoic acid-induced neuronal differentiation, accompanied with an increased expression of alpha-synuclein and synaptophysin. These results indicate that UCH-L1 is expressed constitutively in human neual cell lines, where it is upregulated following induction of neuronal differentiation, but unaffected by exposure to heat stress, cytokines, or growth/differentiation factors which are supposed to be invloved in the nigral neuronal death and survival in PD.

To reduce the load on switching elements in the excitation circuit of excimer lasers, a new circuit has been developed to study the basic characteristics, where a saturable transformer is utilized in the magnetic pulse compressor. We have used a saturable transformer with a winding ratio of 1:4. The initial pulse of 8.5 kV, 2.0 kA, 3 μs was transferred to the output pulse of 34 kV, 8 kA, 109 ns, with an energy‐transfer efficiency of 58%. Using a saturable inductor as a charging inductor, furthermore, we have succeeded in reduction of the prepulse of the output voltage and enhancement of the energy‐transfer efficiency.

Rat interleukin-5 (IL-5) cDNA was subcloned from peritoneal cells collected 4 h after intraperitoneal injection of Ascaris suum antigen solution into the immunized rats. Cysteine proteinase-deleted (CPd) rat IL-5 recombinant virus was constructed by inserting rat IL-5 cDNA into CPd virus having a deletion in the cysteine proteinase gene of the silkworm Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus. On infection with the CPd rat IL-5 recombinant virus, the silkworm B. mori larvae produced rat IL-5 as a dimeric form in hemolymph. Recombinant rat IL-5 was purified more than 95.5% by anion-exchange chromatography and hydrophobic chromatography. The purified recombinant rat IL-5 promoted the proliferation of T88-M cells in a concentration-dependent manner, and its effect was inhibited by an anti-murine IL-5 neutralizing polyclonal antibody. When bone marrow cells from normal rats were incubated with recombinant rat IL-5 in medium containing methylcellulose, the colony formation by eosinophilic cells was induced. Furthermore, when rat peritoneal eosinophils were incubated with recombinant rat IL-5, the spontaneous decrease in the eosinophil viability was inhibited in time- and concentration-dependent manners. In addition, the recombinant rat IL-5-induced eosinophil survival was inhibited by an anti-murine IL-5 neutralizing polyclonal antibody. These findings suggest that rat IL-5 acts as B-cell growth factor II (BCGF-II), eosinophil differentiation factor (EDF), and eosinophil survival-enhancing factor.

The effect of estrogen administration to cultured Armenian hamster was studied. Isolated Armenian hamster hepatocytes were cultured in RPMI medium supplemented with beta-estradiol (E2). Beta-estradiol treatment for 24-48 hr induced cytoplasmic inclusion bodies which by immunocytochemistry were positive for cytokeratin (CK) 8, CK 18, and ubiquitin but negative for CK 7 and CK 19. These inclusion bodies appeared as filamentous tangles or amorphous aggregates when observed by electron microscopy. F-actin, tubulin, and desmosomes were not influenced by the presence of the inclusion bodies. Addition of ethanol to culture medium increased the incidence of the inclusion formation. In combination with 0.5% ethanol 1 microM of E2 induced five to six times more inclusion bodies, while the number of inclusion bodies decreased when epidermal growth factor (EGF) was added to the medium in combination with E2. This reduction effect was nullified by treatment with anti-EGF receptor antibody. These findings suggest that E2 treatment to Armenian hamster hepatocytes in vitro induces Mallory body-like inclusions whose incidence can be influenced by addition of ethanol or EGF to the culture medium.

A 51-year-old woman developed a slowly progressive spastic paraparesis and diminished vibration sense beginning at age 38. Intellectual capacity was normal. Krabbe disease was confirmed by markedly reduced leukocyte galactocerebrosidase (GALC) activity, typical inclusions in Schwann cell cytoplasm, and an identification of the homozygous point mutation T1835C (Leu618Ser) in the GALC gene. T2-weighted MRI of the brain showed symmetric high-signal-intensity lesions in the bilateral frontoparietal white matter, the centrum semiovale, and the posterior limb of the internal capsule with sparing of the periventricular white matter. This case is unusual because of the late onset, protracted clinical course, and MRI findings of demyelination confined to the corticospinal tracts.

gene expression levels were decreased (30–45%), independently of viral genotype. Total DGAT activity was found increased in Huh7.5 cells infected by JFH1 (1.6±0.2), genotype 1b (2.1±0.2) and genotype 3a (1.9±0.1). DGAT activity in Huh7 cells was increased upon HCV infection (JFH1: 1.6±0.03, G1a: 1.54±0.04 and G3a: 1.9±0.04). Quercetin had an inhibitory effect on DGAT activity (1.5±0.1 fold) when cells were infected by genotype 3a and 1a. Quercetin inhibited viral replication in a dose-dependent manner; quercetin 25uM: 31.23%; 50uM: 42.5% and 100uM: 86.41% compared to interferon treatment (100%inhibition). Conclusions: HCV infection increased DGAT-1 gene expression and DGAT activity, improving viral replication. Quercetin decreased DGAT activity and reduced viral replication. DGAT1 protein can arise as a new target for hepatitis C therapy.

A computerised nursing support system (CNSS) linked to the hospital information system (HIS) was developed and has been in use for one year, in order to reduce the workload of nurses. CNSS consists of (1) a hand held computer for each nurse (2) desk-top computers in the nurses' station and doctors' rooms (3) a data server (4) an interface with the main hospital information system. Nurses enter vital signs, food intake and other information about the patients into the hand held computer at the bed-side. The information is then sent automatically to the CNSS data server, which also receives patients' details (prescribed medicines etc.) from the HIS. Nurses and doctors can see all the information on the desk-top and hand held computers. This system was introduced in May 1995 into a university hospital ward with 40 beds. A questionnaire was completed by 23 nurses before and after the introduction of CNSS. The mean time required to post vital data was significantly reduced from 121 seconds to 54 seconds (p0.01). After three months 30% of nurses felt CNSS had reduced their workload, while 30% felt it had complicated their work; after five months 70% noted a reduction and 0% reported that CNSS had made their work more complex. The study therefore concludes that the interface between a computerised nursing support system and the hospital information system reduced the workload of nurses.

A phase II study of Paclitaxel in patients with ovarian cancer by 3-hour intravenous infusion was undertaken by a cooperative study group of 30 institutes. Of 66 cases enrolled, 57 cases were evaluable for efficacy, and 63 cases were evaluable for safety. In spite of the fact that all cases for efficacy evaluation were previously treated with chemotherapy including platinum-based drugs, 2 cases of complete response (CR) and 15 cases of partial response (PR) were observed, with a response rate of 29.8% (The 95% confidence interval of response rate was 18.4-43.4%). Paclitaxel also showed 28.2% (11/39) response rate in patients refractory to treatment by platinum-based drugs. Histologically, the response rates were 28.9% (11/38) in serous adenocarcinoma, 40.0% (2/5) in clear cell adenocarcinoma and 25.0% (1/4) in mucinous adenocarcinoma. As the major laboratory abnormalities, leukopenia, neutropenia and decrease in hemoglobin were observed with incidence rates of 98.4% (62/63), 95.2% (59/62) and 85.7% (54/63), respectively. However, these abnormalities were clinically manageable by either withdrawal of medication, administration of antibiotics, G-CSF or metachysis etc. In addition, thrombocytopenia, elevation in GOT and GPT were seen with moderate incidence. Peripheral neuropathy was a major adverse symptom with an incidence of 79.4% (50/63), followed by alopecia, myalgia, arthralgia and fever. However, the majority of these adverse reactions were less than grade 3. From these findings, we confirmed that 3-hour intravenous infusion of Paclitaxel was a clinically useful chemotherapeutic agent in patients with ovarian cancer.

A 5-year-old boy who had typical tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with mild cyanosis was referred to us. Preoperative echocardiogram revealed that in addition to the TOF morphology, an abnormal piece of tissue attached to the right side of the ventricular septum was floating and obstructing flow through the ventricular septal defect (VSD) in systole. Preoperative cardiac catheterization showed suprasystemic right ventricular pressure with a gradient of 60 mmHg between the right ventricle and the aorta, and a right ventriculogram demonstrated a narrow radiolucent structure beneath the aortic valve in the right ventricle. During surgery a fibrous membranous tissue, with no relation to the tricuspid valve, was found to extend from the edge of the VSD to the aortic valve and to partially occlude the defect. This tissue was used as a suture anchorage for patch closure of the defect. Preoperative echocardiography is useful to detect such flaps and early surgical correction should be done to prevent right ventricular failure resulting from right ventricular pressure overload.

Application of carboxypeptidase A immobilized beads to flow—injection calorimetry and also biosensing of heavy metal ions based on the apoenzyme reactivation methods are investigated. The enzymes immobilized onto porous glass beads with controlled pore size were packed into a small polymer column. The biosensing system was assembled with the column and a flow—calorimetric device. The heat evolved in hydrolysis of hippuryl—L-phenylalanine as the substrate was enhanced by using Tris-HCl buffer(pH 7.5) as carrier streams. The calibration graph was linear up to 20 mM for 0.5 ml substrate solution. The relative standard deviation for 5 mM substrate was 2.7%(n =20). A single measurement took 5 min. Exposing 100 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetate solution to the column caused marked decrease in temperature response. Subsequent injection of zinc(II) ions into the chelator—exposed column led to recovery of the enzyme activity. The temperature response attributable to the partial activation was obtained as a function of the concentration of zinc(II) ions added. Thus, zinc(II) ions could be calorimetrically determined in a range of 0.1 to 0.5 mM for 0.5 ml samples.

We have performed NMR and nuclear-quadrupole-resonance (NQR) on U-based ferromagnetic superconductor UCoGe and a reference metallic compound YCoGe without 5 f electrons, in order to investigate the normal and superconducting-state properties. From 59 Co-NQR measurements, we give clear evidence that ferromagnetism and superconductivity coexist microscopically, both of which are ascribed to the U 5 f -electrons. In addition, direction-dependent Knight shift and nuclear spin–lattice relaxation rate measurements provide microscopic evidence that both static and dynamic susceptibilities are ferromagnetic with strong Ising anisotropy. We point out that superconductivity induced by such magnetic fluctuations prefers spin–triplet pairing state

To reduce the load on switching devices, a new type of all-solid-state excitation circuit has been successfully developed, where only one GTO thyristor is utilized in the switching device and a saturable transformer is used as the magnetic pulse compressor. We have used a saturable transformer with a winding ratio of 1:7. The initial pulse of 5.5 kV, 1.7 kA, 1.0 kA/microsecond(s) was transferred to the output pulse of 32.7 kV, 8.7 kA, 282 kA/ns. Employing this circuit for XeCl-excimer laser, we have succeeded in lasing the output energy of approximately 30 mJ/pulse.

A solid-state excitation circuit is demonstrated without any compression circuits. The new circuit contains the dc pre-charging capacitors and pulsed charging capacitors.The applied voltage between the electrode is the sum of the pre-charging voltage and the pulsed charging voltage. Therefore the switching voltage is lowered with increasing thepre-charging voltage. In TEA-C02 laser device, the stable discharge is excited by usingonly one thyristor device. In this circuit, the breakdown voltage is lower and outputefficiency is higher than that obtained in the ordinary charge-transfer circuit. Thehigh-repetition rate operation is tested up to 1 kpps. This circuit is also available for the excitation of KrF excimer laser. 1. INTRODUCTION There is an increasing number of applications for high power and high-repetitive gaslasers. In these laser devices, thyratrons have been widely used for switching the fastpulse voltage in the time range of lOOnsec to lisec. As increasing the pulse repetitionrate, however, the load for the thyratron becomes very serious, and several operational

Flow-injection amperometric determination of copper(II) ions based on an apoenzyme reactivation method is proposed. Ascorbate oxidase immobilized onto a porous polymer membrane is used as the recognition element for copper(II) ions. The biosensing system is assembled with the enzyme-membrane attached onto a flow-through type of an oxygen electrode for monitoring the enzymic activity. Copper(II) ions are amperometrically determined in 5.0-50 μM through its activation of the immobilized metal-free enzyme(apoenzyme). The activity is assessed by injecting a 0.1 ml of 10 mM L-ascorbate solution as the substrate and thereby, the change in oxygen uptake is measured. The membrane is regenerated by pumping a 0.8 mM N,N- diethyldithiocarbamate solution(pH 8.0) between successive samples.

In Japan where the question of cancer notification has yet to be resolved, it is difficult to obtain an informed consent from the patient himself in clinical studies of the chemotherapies for cancer. In fact, the chemotherapy is administered while not enough explanation is given to the family let alone the patient. Such is the present situation. For the purpose of finding out the best possible method at present, we carried out a method whereby an informed consent of the family is substituted for a consent of the patient in phase II study of inoperable non-small cell carcinoma of the lung. As a result, the consent was obtained from 21 (91.3%) out of 23 families. This method should be taken into consideration as a feasible one under the present circumstances. It was in only one family (4.3%) that a consent on the notification of diagnosis from the family to the patient was obtained. In order for the informed consent to be established, efforts to form a social consensus on cancer notification are needed.